Texas Rangers #2 Prospect INF Josh Jung Promoted to Round Rock Express

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Welcome to Round Rock, Josh! Texas Rangers #2 overall prospect INF Josh Jung has been promoted to the Round Rock Express from the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, the clubs announced on Friday afternoon. In addition to being the #2 prospect in the Rangers organization, Jung also ranks as the #52 overall prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com. He is expected to make his Triple-A debut tonight at Dell Diamond as the Express host the El Paso Chihuahuas at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available at RRExpress.com.

Jung joined Frisco on June 15 after missing the beginning of the season while recovering from surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot suffered in Spring Training. He singled in his first at-bat, homered in his second game, then never looked back, lighting up his Double-A competition, hitting .308 (52-169) with eight doubles, a triple, 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 43 games. He comes to Round Rock batting .341 (31-91) with seven doubles, a triple, six homers and 25 RBI in his last 23 games. The 23-year-old has tallied base hits in 18 of his last 23 games, including nine multi-hit performances.

In just two seasons within the Rangers organization, Jung is hitting .312 (107-343) with 22 doubles, a pair of triples, 12 home runs and 68 RBI across 87 games with the Rookie-level AZL Rangers (2019), Class A Hickory Crawdads (2019) and Frisco. Defensively, he has played exclusively at third base, committing just four total errors in his minor league career.

Jung spent the duration of the 2020 campaign at the Rangers’ Alternate Training Site operation in Arlington with other top Texas prospects. He also competed in the Fall Developmental League in Arizona following the season, hitting .345 with three home runs and 13 RBI. In his first professional season, he combined to hit .316 (55-174) with a pair of home runs and 28 RBI in 44 games with the AZL Rangers and Hickory in 2019. He homered in his first professional at-bat on July 11, 2019, just weeks after competing in his second College World Series.

The San Antonio native was drafted eighth overall by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 2019 June Draft after a prolific career at Texas Tech University. He became the highest Rangers draft pick since INF Mark Teixeira was selected fifth overall in 2001 and the second-highest Red Raiders draft pick in program history behind OF Donald Harris, who was also selected fifth overall in 1989.

Jung was named the 2019 Big 12 Co-Player of the Year at Texas Tech after hitting .332 with 11 homers and 53 RBI as a junior. He was a unanimous All-American selection with six honors in 2019, adding to his 15 total All-American awards in three years as a Red Raider. Jung was selected as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Decade and is the only Texas Tech player ever to be named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award in multiple seasons.

Before being drafted by the Rangers, Jung finished his collegiate career with a .348 batting average to go along with 33 home runs and 181 RBI in 191 games, ranking among Texas Tech all-time leaders in walks (T-3rd, 128), hits (4th, 260), total bases (4th, 131) and RBI (5th, 181). Prior to his time at Texas Tech, Jung enjoyed a standout career at MacArthur High School in San Antonio, where he played both baseball and football, becoming a four-time All-District honoree, three-time All-Region winner and three-time All-State selection.

Jung joins the Round Rock Express in the midst of a six-game homestand against the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres affiliate). Express RHP A.J. Alexy (0-0, 2.79) is scheduled to face Chihuahuas RHP Jesse Scholtens (3-7, 5.34) in Friday night’s game two at Dell Diamond. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Single game tickets are on sale now. For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!